ROLE OF ST. JOHN'S WORT (HYPERICUM PERFORATUM L.) IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES AND NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS


Ozturk Y. K., CAN Ö. D., DEMİR ÖZKAY Ü.

HERBS FOR DIABETES AND NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE MANAGEMENT: RESEARCH AND ADVANCEMENTS, pp.1-21, 2018 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

Abstract

St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) is a widely utilized antidepressant plant, which has been used as both therapeutic drug and over-the-counter (OTC) product in all around the world. There are many ethnomedical, experimental, and clinical studies demonstrating its antidepressant activities. It seems to be quite effective on the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression, as reported in various controlled clinical trials. In addition to its well-known antidepressant activities, St. John's Wort has been reported to be used in folkloric medicine for the cure of diabetes mellitus. We have previously reported that extracts of aerial parts of H. perforatum normalize blood glucose and pain perception and depression/anxiety levels in streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats.